Former President Joe Biden appeared disoriented and slurred his words during an appearance at a lawyers’ gala in Chicago on Thursday night, just months after the 82-year-old publicly disclosed his battle with aggressive prostate cancer.
Biden was met with a standing ovation as he slowly made his way onto the stage at the 100th annual awards gala of the National Bar Association, the nation’s oldest and largest network of predominantly black lawyers and judges.
Accompanied by two of his granddaughters, Biden cautiously walked across the stage, shook hands with the emcee, and then appeared momentarily confused as he turned to locate his seat, according to video footage.
“Biden was directed back to his place by others on the dais and slowly slouched into his chair before flashing a smile and pointing finger guns at the crowd,” the New York Post reported.
Later in the evening, Biden stumbled over his words multiple times during his 20-minute speech, in which he accused the Trump administration of engaging in an “existential” battle against minority communities and highlighted his own record on civil rights, The Post added.
“These are dark days, but you’re all here for the same reason I left that prestigious law firm to go to the defender’s office years ago,” he said. “It’s because our future is literally on the line and we must be unapologetic of fighting for the future.”
Biden also joked about his age at one point during his speech.
“When I was elected [in 1972], I had the dubious distinction to be elected the youngest senator in American history and the oldest president in American history. It’s hell turning 40 twice,” he quipped to chuckles.
Since leaving the White House in January, Biden has mostly avoided public appearances, following his decision not to seek a second term amid growing concerns over his cognitive and physical health.
His former vice president, Kamala Harris, went on to lose to President Trump in a landslide election.
In May, Biden disclosed that he was battling advanced prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones.
On Thursday, the 46th president was honored with the National Bar Association’s C. Francis Stradford Award, the organization’s highest distinction.
Biden shared the stage with a lineup of prominent speakers, including several left-wing political and legal figures, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, former MSNBC commentator Joy-Ann Reid, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
In June, the former top doctor to Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump told the Washington Free Beacon that the prognosis for Biden’s metastatic prostate cancer is bleak and that he could die within a year.
Biden’s office shocked the world in May by revealing that what had been termed a “small nodule” was actually Stage 4 prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), who served as the White House physician from 2013 to 2018, told the outlet that Biden may not have much time left.
“This is not my area of specialty, but I have spoken to multiple urologists since this came out, and the general consensus is like, you know, it could be 12 to 18 months,” Jackson said. “Hopefully it’s longer than that, and I hope that they’re able to treat this effectively, and, you know, he lives many, many more years. But it’s far advanced.”
Jackson, who regularly checked both Obama and Trump for the disease, believes Biden may have received a diagnosis long before the May announcement.
